Cajun Country Band & Jay Cormier @ Mulate’s
Jay Cormier and friends do some great Cajun Country Music at Mulate’s in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana.
THE place to go for the best of Cajun Cuisine, Music and Dancing.
These folks have way too much fun!
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Duration : 0:3:0
San Francisco Street Musician
Bucket drummers and other street musicians are a common sight throughout San Francisco.
Duration : 25 sec
Sugar Bee – LeRoi Brothers
LeRoi Brothers doing an excellent cover of Sugar Bee. Steve Doerr’s vocals are instantly recognizable, like Dylan or Springsteen. Just another overlooked and underappreciate American Musical Icon.
Enough editorializing, about the video: I overlooked obvious cues when recording and missed some of Eve’s guitar runs but it sounds pretty good overall.
http://www.myspace.com/leroibrothers
Now for some obscure history about the song: Cleveland Crochet was the fiddle player and bandleader of The Hillbilly Ramblers, a Cajun band whose 1961 song, “Sugar Bee,” became the first Cajun song to reach the “Billboard Hot 100″, Cleveland Crochet has never been financially compensated for the tune. “I didn’t get anything out of it,” Crochet said by telephone from his home in Iowa, Louisiana. “Eddie Schuler (owner of the Gold Band record label) stole the copyright.” The son of a Cajun musician, Crochet built his first fiddle out of a cigar box at the age of twelve. Although he continued to earn his living as an iron worker, until his retirement in 1970, Crochet became a regular at Cajun dances throughout eastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana. Together with the Hillbilly Ramblers, which he formed in the 1950s, Crochet played every Saturday night at the Shamrock and Moulin Rouge dance clubs in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Since his retirement, Crochet has limited his playing to informal jam sessions. ~ Craig Harris, All Music Guide
Duration : 0:3:18
Charles Thibodeaux Live at Evangeline Cafe in South Austin
Only in Texas. Austin, Texas to be exact.
Charles Thibodeaux,
Cajun accordionist
Steve Doerr,Guitar
Howard Kalish,Fiddle
Charles was raised in a traditional Cajun family household in Beaumont, Texas. His parents were Church Point, Louisiana natives and for their wedding celebration and dance, Iry LeJeune provided the entertainment. His parents spoke French around the house when they didn’t want the kids to understand what they were saying but the kids understood it anyway.
Charles’s late cousin, Joe Thibodeaux, owned the Rodair Club in Port Acres Texas. During his youth, he visited the legendary club on a regular basis and was influenced to play the Cajun accordion by watching Andrew Cormier and The Rambling Aces band which included Rodney LeJeune, Dallas Roy and many other famous Cajun musicians.
At age 16, a friend gave him a used accordion that had a couple of keys missing. It had tape over the holes and reeds that wouldn’t play. After saving up his money, he bought an inexpensive Hohner but got side tracked away from his music for many years. While visiting an uncle in Church Point in the early 90′s, Charles mentioned that he was shopping for an accordion. His uncle walked him through the pasture, and over to the house next door and Charles bought a Pointe Noir in the key of C from the famous accordion builder, Dick Richard. He also plays 2 Martin accordions in the keys of D and B flat.
Charles formed a traditional Cajun Band in the Spring of 2004 for a group of Mardi Gras enthusiasts and they have since, thrilled audiences throughout the State of Texas and they continue to Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler—Let the Good Times Roll in Austin!
Duration : 0:4:49
Iry LeJeune – Calcasieu Waltz Still video
Cajun Accordion player Iry LeJeune’s Calcasieu waltz. Iry is considered one of the best Cajun musicians of all time. Almost blind from birth, all he had was family and music. Killed on October 8, 1955 while changing a flat tire.
Duration : 0:3:9
CAROLINA GATOR GUMBO live at Southpark
Carolina GATOR GUMBO, based in Charlotte NC, is a well seasoned Cajun & Creole band bringing festive music from southwest Louisiana to the Carolinas since the early 90′s!
Honors:
2003-2004 Arts & Science Council Regional Artist Project
Best Local Acoustic Band, Year 2000, Charlotte’s Best Magazine
Creative Loafing’s Ultra Extreme Best of Charlotte 2003
Best Place To Learn to Dance, Carolina Gator Gumbo shows!
This friendly mix of high spirited musicians have sought and studied Cajun/Creole music, dance and culture with masters at various jams, festivals & workshops throughout the southeast. “Leona Had A Party”, the band’s most recent recording has been met with great reviews:
“…The difference between hot and boiling hot can be one degree. The difference between good music and great music isn’t so easy to define. It’s hard to know great music, but one thing is certain – you know it when you hear it. It has a way of grabbing you by the collar and forcing you to stop and listen. Carolina Gator Gumbo has pulled off this difficult feat in their new release Leona Threw a Party…” From Gaston Alive by BEN DUNGAN http://theamericana.typepad.com/the_americana_blog/
“…A bit closer to home, Charlotte area favorites, Carolina Gator Gumbo have a new disc called Leona Had a Party. A party this one certainly is! Put this one on, crank up the volume a bit, and you will be transported to Mulate’s Dance Hall in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. Having been in radio a while, I tend to look for good, crisp production and Leona gets a big A plus—this one sounds great!” From Cuz’s Corner by DENNIS FROST
Duration : 0:8:43
